Exhibition Explores China’s Cultural Diversity

This exhibition was run for a number of weeks at Otago Museum from 6 July 2014

Article from Kimberley Smith, Otago Museum

From Saturday 6 July

An exhibition exploring the vibrancy and diversity of China’s cultural minorities is soon to open at the Otago Museum. Prepared by Shanghai Museum, China’s Cultural Minorities: Silk to Silver, Collections from the Shanghai Museum provides an insight into the many rich and colourful cultures that make up Chinese society, featuring traditional costumes, jewellery, ornaments, religious articles and masks.

A tangible result of the strong sister city relationship fostered between Otago Museum and the Shanghai Museum, China’s Cultural Minorities: Silk to Silver, Collections from the Shanghai Museum is the second exhibition from Shanghai Museum to be displayed in Otago. The items in the exhibition have been drawn from the Shanghai Museum’s collection and reflect their own Minority Nationalities Gallery.

The exhibition showcases the craft of costume and adornment with traditional dress and jewellery. Artefacts with distinctive styles, patterns, materials and techniques showcase the diversity between different minority groups. Of particular note is a woman’s jacket, trousers, gloves and shoes crafted from salmon skin as well as an elaborate silver-twisted neck ring. Ornaments and religious articles, as well as carefully crafted metalwork, lacquer ware, woodwork and pottery, illustrate vivid features and intricate craftsmanship.

A range of events exploring some of the customs of the different cultural groups represented will be offered throughout the exhibition, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse nature of China’s cultural groups.

China’s Cultural Minorities: Silk to Silver, Collections from the Shanghai Museum will be on display in the Special Exhibitions Gallery at the Otago Museum from Saturday 6 July. For more information visit www.otagomuseum.govt.nz